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Associations of physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness and fatness with low-grade inflammation in adolescents: the AFINOS Study

International Journal of Obesity volume 34, pages 1501–1507 (2010)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective:

To examine the independent associations of objectively measured physical activity (PA), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and fatness with low-grade inflammatory markers in adolescents.

Design:

Cross-sectional study in Spain.

Subjects:

A sample of 192 adolescents aged 13–17 years.

Measurements:

PA was assessed with an accelerometer for 7 days. A 20-m shuttle-run test was used to assess CRF. Skinfold thicknesses at six sites and WCs were measured. BMI was calculated from measured height and weight. C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and complement factors C3 and C4 were assayed. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated from glucose and insulin. Regression analysis adjusted for potential confounders and HOMA-IR was used to determine the associations between PA, CRF and fatness with low-grade inflammatory markers.

Results:

Total PA, vigorous PA and MVPA were positively associated with CRF (r=0.25–0.48), whereas vigorous PA was negatively associated with skinfolds (r=−0.27). CRF was inversely associated with fatness, (r=−0.30 to −0.48). CRF and fatness were inversely and positively associated with HOMA-IR (r=−0.16 and 0.21, respectively). PA variables were not independently associated with inflammatory markers. CRF and fatness were inversely and positively associated with CRP, C3 and C4, respectively. Only body fat explained a relevant amount of the variance of the model in CRP (4%) and C4 (19%), whereas CRP and body fat jointly explained the variance in C3 (25%). All these observations were independent of HOMA-IR.

Conclusions:

These findings support the key role of CRF and fatness on low-grade inflammation, as well as the possible indirect role of habitual PA through CRF and body fat in adolescents.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (DEP2006-56184-C03-02/PREV and AP2006-02464). We thank the adolescents and their parents who participated in this study.

Author information

Author notes

  1. D Martinez-Gomez, J C Eisenmann, J Wärnberg, S Gomez-Martinez, A Veses, O L Veiga and A Marcos: The AFINOS Study Group is listed in the Appendix.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Metabolism and Nutrition, Immunonutrition Research Group, Instituto del Frio, Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition (ICTAN), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain

    D Martinez-Gomez, J Wärnberg & O L Veiga

  2. Department of Physical Education, Facultad de Formación del Profesorado y Educación, Sport and Human Movement, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    D Martinez-Gomez, S Gomez-Martinez, A Veses & A Marcos

  3. Departments of Kinesiology and Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA

    J C Eisenmann

  4. Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain

    J Wärnberg

Authors
  1. D Martinez-Gomez
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  2. J C Eisenmann
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  3. J Wärnberg
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  4. S Gomez-Martinez
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  5. A Veses
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  6. O L Veiga
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  7. A Marcos
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Consortia

for the AFINOS Study Group

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A Marcos.

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Competing interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Appendix

Appendix

Study coordinator: A. Marcos.

Sub-study coordinators: ME Calle, A Villagra A Marcos.

Sub-study-1: ME Calle, E Regidor, D Martínez-Hernández, Esteban-Gonzalo L. Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid E-28040, Spain.

Sub-study-2: A Villagra, OL Veiga, J del-Campo, JM Moya, D Martínez-Gómez, B Zapatera. Facultad de Formación del Profesorado y Educación, Department of Physical Education, Sport and Human Movement, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Madrid E-28049, Spain.

Sub-study-3: A Marcos, S Gómez-Martínez, E Nova, J Wärnberg, J Romeo, LE Diaz, T Pozo, MA Puertollano, D Martínez-Gómez, B Zapatera, A Veses. Immunonutrition Research Group, Department of Metabolism and Nutrition, Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition (ICTAN), Instituto del Frio, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid E-28040, Spain.

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Martinez-Gomez, D., Eisenmann, J., Wärnberg, J. et al. Associations of physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness and fatness with low-grade inflammation in adolescents: the AFINOS Study. Int J Obes 34, 1501–1507 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2010.114

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